معرفی
Melissa Nelson is a Professor of Indigenous Sustainability in the School of Sustainability at Arizona State University. She holds affiliations with the Global Futures Laboratory, Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems, and the Humanities for the Environment Global Network. Previously, she served as a Professor of American Indian Studies at San Francisco State University (2002–2020) and as Founding Executive Director/CEO of The Cultural Conservancy (1993–2021).
Education: B.A. (Highest Honors) in Ecology from UC Santa Cruz, Ph.D. in Ecology (Emphasis in Ecophilosophy and Native American Environmental Studies) from UC Davis.
Research focuses on Indigenous rights and sustainability, biocultural heritage, environmental justice, and Indigenous-led conservation. Key interests include Indigenous food sovereignty, decolonization, and the interplay between Indigenous knowledges and biomimicry. Her work bridges academia, activism, and community-based projects.
Recent publications emphasize Indigenous research sovereignty, knowledge system collaboration, and climate justice. Notable works include Traditional Ecological Knowledge: Learning from Indigenous Practices for Environmental Sustainability (2018) and What Kind of Ancestor Do You Want To Be? (2021).
- Awards: Switzer Environmental Fellow, NDN Collective Changemaker, Humanitarian Award from International Association of Sufism.
- Advising: Mentors five Ph.D. students at ASU, two at external universities, and one MA student.
- Grants: NSF-funded projects on Indigenous-led team science and land rematriation.
Labs/Initiatives: Earthdiver Lab, Indigenous Knowledges Focal Area, Archipelago of Indigenous-Led Resurgence for Planetary Health. Active in land trusts like Sogorea Te' Land Trust and policy work with Indigenous data sovereignty.
